Toronto lawyer Bercovici tapped as new ambassador to Israel

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced Wednesday that Toronto lawyer Vivian Bercovici is Canada’s new ambassador to Israel.

The announcement comes ahead of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s trip to Israel and the Middle East later this month.

Bercovici is also a freelance columnist; in articles for the Toronto Star she has taken a hard stance against Hamas and the Palestinian Authority (PA) and applauded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a Star column from last January, Bercovici had some tough words for Hamas and the PA.

“Hamas, the PA and just about every government in the Middle East make no secret of their collective ideological commitment to the total destruction of the state of Israel, which they regard as a blasphemous blight on the Arab and Muslim worlds,” she wrote. “So in the end, it really doesn’t matter to them who wins and leads in Israel. There is no willing negotiator on the Palestinian side.”

At a press conference in Ottawa Wednesday, Baird said that Bercovici is “being appointed our ambassador to Israel, not to Ramallah.

“She has been critical of the Palestinian Authority and critical of the Israeli government on occasion,” Baird added.

Bercovici did not take questions from journalists Wednesday.

Bercovici has 24 years of experience as a lawyer, specializing in aboriginal affairs, regulatory matters and media issues. Her only past government experience appears to be a two-year stint as a senior policy adviser with the Ontario Ministry of Finance in the 1990s. She also has served on the boards of CBC/Radio-Canada and the Canadian Journalism Foundation.

While Baird recognized that Bercovici is the first non-diplomat the Harper government has appointed to Israel, he said he is confident her “unique skill set” — and the fact that she has lived in the country — will enhance the diplomatic relationship. Baird also reminded reporters that other prime ministers have appointed non-diplomats to the key post in Tel Aviv in the past.

“The previous Liberal government appointed Liberal MP David Berger. Mr. Mulroney appointed Norman Spector, so it’s not unusual,” said Baird.

During Wednesday’s press conference, Bercovici delivered a short statement to reporters.

“My interest in Israel and in the region goes back a long time. And now is a very important time in the region, as important as ever, and I’m very honoured to be appointed to take on this role,” said Bercovici. “As the minister has said, Israel has no greater friend in the world than Canada, and that is not just within government.”

Bercovici takes over the job from Paul Hunt, whose term ended in June 2013. Israel also recently appointed a new ambassador to Canada, Rafael Barak, who arrived in Ottawa last November.